Curling machine



June 26, 1928. 1,675,296

o. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE Filed June '11, 1927 '1 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 26, 1928. v 1,675,296

O. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE I Fil'ed June 11, 1927 7 sheets-sheet 2 June 26, 1928.

' o. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 2 9 1 l e n u, J m a, 1 M

June 26, 1928.

O. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 11, 1927 June 26, 1928. 1,675,296

0. HEDST-ROM CURLING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 fie"- June 26, 1928.

. .0. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1927 III I III 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 17%??722217'1 Mia? fmw June 26, 1928.

O. HEDSTROM CURLING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 condition of the parts'after Patented June 26, 1928.

OTTO nnns'rnom, OF CHICAGO,

FULFORD; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rnnmo rs, essienon on ONE-HALF TO PETER w.

cURLIue MACHINE.

Application filed has 11,

The present invention relates to a chine for curling an edge of an annular sheet metal member, as; for example a' c 1in drical flange on a can cover to form a tubu'- lar bead thereon; and it has for its object to produce a machine of this kind that; will be simple in construction andaiitoniati'c and ei'iicient in operation.

The, various features of novelty whereby my invention is, characterized will hereinafter he pointed out with particularity in the claims; butyfor a full understanding of my inventionfand of its objects and advan tages, reference may be had" to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine arranged in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a section'on anenlargedscale,- taken" approximately on line'2 f2 of Fig. 1; 3 in a section taken on line' 3'3 of Fig. 2, tragi'nent' of the large uppe'n gear being broken away; Fig. 4; is a section taken on line t e]: oliFig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section" on the same plane asiFig. 2, showing acontinuatioh of the upper end of the'machine, namely the Work feeding means; a bottom plan View of a fragment of the ma chine showing the escapemeht at the end of the feed chute; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one oi? the work driving and pressing ele menils. together with a fragment of the immediate support for the latter; Fig 8 is a side view ol th e stationary cam forip'ressing the work into the curling means; Fig. 9 is a" bottom plan View of the" cam; Fig. 10'is a section taken through the axis of rotationof the machine, showing a fragment of the machine; Fig. 11 is 'a vertical section through one ot the work supporting and edge curlingmeans, showing a can cover in position and readyto be pressed into the curling means; Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig;. 11, showing the cover has been pressed down to the lower limit of its movement; Fig. 13 is a section takenfap proximately on line 13 13 01 Fig.,12, the cover being omitted; Fig. 1 L is a side eleva tion or a Fragment of the work support shown in F 11, on a larger scale, lookingi at the right hand side of Fig. 11; and Figs," 15 and 16 are views of one of the'curling rollers, in elevation and in section, respectitely, showing a cover at the beginning-of 1957. Sean Nb; 198,102.

the curling operation and at the end of such operation.

Referringto the drawings, 1 represents a rotatable table lying at an angle to the hori zontal. In the arrangement shown this table is in the form of a. disc supported on a pedeSt'aIQand rotatable about a stationary shaft" 3' projecting upwardly from the pedestal throughthe tableat right angles to the' pla'ne of thela'tter. The table is adapted to receive the Work and, after carrying it through a predetermined angle, discharge it in a finished condition! The particular ma-' chine illustrated is designed. to operate on can covers having cylindrica1 flanges or aprons and, for the sake of brevity the'ma chi'newillbe explained fromthis Viewpoint, although it is' oi course, applicable to the curling of edges on other articles. Further-- ore, the machine maybe arranged to operate (in any desiredfnumbe-r"of can covers, namely one or more; However, the machine illustrated is'a'olapted to handle aplurality of covers at a time andthe detaileddescription avill' he confined to" this particular embodiment. V

o Broadly speakinggjthe table has in thetop a circular" groove into which the annular memberwho'seedge is tobe curled is adaptedto' beinserted there being curling means within the groove; and means. being provided rapidly torotate the annular member and simultaneously press it slowly into the curling means" Whilethe table is revolving. For thesa'ke of simplicity and ease of manufacture; I prefer make each work holding and curlin'g means as aseparate unit deg tachably' connected to" th'table, so that; covers of'vari'ous diameters may be operated upon by simply interchanging such-units.

In thev arrangement shown. the table is provided with four separate Work holding and curling units." Each unit comprises a thick disc 4: securedto the table by a stud bolt-5 extending up into the same tromthe' under"' sideofthe' 'table. Thesedis'cs are spaced at equal distances tronreachother a'bo'utthe center of tlie'table. .l-n'the top of eachdisc is'a" circular groove '6 whose mean diameter corresponds tothat of the'annular flange a of the cam cover A, best shown in 11, 12, 15j and"1;6. Within or at the bottom of each groove are a plurality of curling devices; four of such devices being consists of a pin 16 to be curled arepreferably shown. Each curling device consists preferably of a roller 7 having an anti-friction bearing on a stub shaft 8 and provided with a circumferential. groove 9 narrow at the bottom and widened toward the periphery of the roller. These rollers are set into radial pockets 10 in the periphery of the disc; each pocket having a central well 11 leading into the disc from the bottom thereof to receive the projecting end of the corresponding stub shaft. The stub shafts are secured in place by means of set screws 12 extending down through the top of the disc and into engagement with the inner ends of the stub shafts. Each disc is also preferably provided with means for ejecting the covers from the rollers after the curling operation has been completed. In the arrangement shown, there are four vertically movable blocks 13 mounted in openings in the disc, these blocks alternating with the curling device. Below each block is a spring 14. In the top of each block is a roller 15. Suitable stop means are provided to cause the springs normally to hold the blocks with their upper faces flush with the top of the disc. When a cover is set on one of the discs in registration with the groove,'it is supported on the ejecting rollers 15, but may be pressed down into the groove against the resistance of the underlying springs. The stop means shown projecting radially from each of the blocks 13 through a vertical slot 17 in the disc. These pins and slots therefore limit the upward movement of theblocks and also hold them against rotation.

The flanges of the covers whose edges are flared outwardly somewhat in the process of manufacturing the same, as shown in Figs. 11 and 15. Therefore, when the flanges are inserted in a groove on the disc and the cover is pressed down and rapidly rotated, the slightly curved flange strikes the curved bottoms of the grooves in the curling rollers and its natural course is to curl outwardly and then upwardly. \Vhen the pressure on the cover is released, the ejectors push it up above the top of the disc so that it may slide therefrom if not otherwise restrained.

In order accurately to position the covers over the grooves in the table when 'they are fed to the latter, I place on top of the table, between the several discs, a spider 19 having curved edges 20 extending along the inner sides of the circular grooves for an angular distance of not more than 180. Furthermore the curved marginal portions of the spiderslightly overlap the groove in the table, or rather thediscs on the table, so that if a cover is laid flat on the table against one of the curved stops, it is in registration with the corresponding groove and can therefore be forced into the same by simply applying a downward pressure thereto.

of this condition to permit Whereas the curved stops serve as temporary supports for the covers to prevent them from sliding off the table when the stops are on the low sides of the grooves, they permit the covers to be discharged when the stops lie on the high sides of the grooves unless the covers are otherwise held. I make use covers to be fed to the grooves whenever they reach the upper left hand corner of the table portion of the machine viewed in Fig. 1 and to permit the covers to slide from the table whenever the grooves reach the lower left hand corner. The curling of the edges .of the cover flanges is therefore efiected while the covers are travelling between the upper left hand corner and the lower left hand corner.

As heretofore stated, the covers must be rotated rapidly and at the same time forced down into the curling rollers. To this end I have arranged over each of the curling units a driving disc 21 fixed to the lower end of a shaft 22 extending at right angles to the t-able. The shafts 22 are 'rotatably and slidably supported in a frame 23 mounted on the table so as to have portions lying above the curling units. The shafts of the driving discs are revolved through a suit able train of gearing whenever the table revolves. As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 10, there is 'a pinion 24 fixed to the stationary shaft 3 just above the frame 23. This pinion meshes with a second pinion 25 rotatable on the frame 23. Fixed to the pinion 25 is a larger pinion or gear wheel 26 meshing with a smaller pinion or wheel 27 rotatable on the shaft 3. The pinion 27 is secured to or forms part of a large gear wheel 28. The gear wheel 28 meshes with pinions, 29 fixed to the upper ends of the shafts for the driving discs. The gear wheel 28 and the pinions 29 are. so proportioned that the shafts on which the pinions are mounted may move lengthwise the re guired distance to cause the can covers to be orced down into the curling means without interrupting the driving connection between the pinions and the gear wheel. On the upper end of the stationary shaft 3 is fixed a cam disc 30 having on its underside an arc-shaped cam 31 that overlies the upper ends of the shafts 22. Consequently, when the table is revolved, the driving discs are rapidly rotated about their own axes by the train of gearing just described and, as they move bodily along with the table, are pressed down toward the table as they ride under the cam 31. The angular length of the cam is somewhat more than 180, and the cam is so positioned that it leaves the carrying shafts for the driving discs in the upper left hand and the lower left hand corners free respectively to permit the receipt and discharge of a can cover.

' Some means must be provided to raise the a time, to the table through a driving discs when clear of the cam. As best shown'in Fig; 7, there is a plate 33 mounted on the carrying shaft 22 just above the driving disc; against movement on the shaft lengthwise of the latter, but the shaft being permitted to rotate in the plate. This is accomplished by placing on the shaft collars 3st and 35,

one above the plate and the other below, and the plate through making the.v opening in which the shaft passes large enough to permit theshaft to' rotate ttreely. Fromopposite ends of'the plate 33 riserods36, 36 that pass upwardly through and are slidable in the frame 23. On the rods, above the frame, are compression. springs. 37 resting at: their lower ends on the frames and engaged. at their upper ends with nuts 38 or the like on the rods. Normally the'spring's hold the entire driving unit. an elevated position as shown. at" the left hand in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 11, but permit it'to be depressed as shown at-the right hand side of Fig. 2and in Fig.12. The can covers, after having been operated upon, simply slide by gravity from the table into a discharge chute 39. The covers to be operated upon may also be delivered automatically, one at supply chute.

The supply chute 40, arranged at the samev angle as the table has the bottom thereof arranged. in the planeo-f the tops of the grooved Work receiving discs, the parts being so constructedtha-t there is no material gap between the end ofthe bottom of the chute and the table. The supply chute lies above the upper left hand side ofthe'machine, so that when a cover slides down the chute ontoithe table, it will locate itself on one of the grooved work receiving discs if the table is in the proper angular position to bring such a disc opposite the dischar e end of the chute.

Atone side of'the delivery chute, near its discharge end,.is'an escapement device pivoted'between its ends, as indicated at 41 to produce on opposite sidesv of the pivot an upper finger 4-2 and a lower finger 43; the

fingers being adapted to swing into and out plane parallel with the A spring 60, attached device, and

ofthe chute in a bottom of the chute. at one end to the escapement at the other end "to the chute, tends constantly to hold the escapement device in'the position shown in dotted lines in .Fig. 3, namely in a position that permits acan cover to slide down in the. chute until its movement is arrested by the finger 432 Then, when the escapement is'swung in a counterclockwise direction into the full'lin-e' position of Fig. 3,

the cover just referred to. is released and permitted to slide down upon the table, while a second'cover is permitted to slide down in the chute until arrested by the upper finger 4L2; Then, when the-escapethis plate being held position, the cover that was resting on the finger'42, drops down until it is stopped by the finger" 4:3. It is only necessary to oscillate the escapement in proper time relation to the rotation of the table in order to feed the can covers to the table as rapidly as the latter isable to'take them. In the arrangement shown, I have formed four cams 5'0 onthe periphery of the table, each of these cams, in turn, being adapted to operate the escapement. This is accomplishedby providing the pivot pin of theescapement with a radial arm ed on the free end of which is a roller 45; the roller lying in the paths of the cams 50. As the table rotatesin the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, the, escapement-is permitted to assume its normaldo'tted'line position whenever the roller hes-in a space'between two consecutive cams.

However, whenever one of tae cams-rides under the roller, it lifts the latter, swinging the escapement device in the counter clockwise direction, namely into its second workingposition shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The cams are so located on the table that whenever: a work receiving unit from which a cover'has been discharged, comes opposite the lower end of the delivery chute, the escapement permits a cpver' to slide down upon the table to be centered over the corresponding circular groove in the manner hereinbetore explained.

The lower end 46 of the side wall Offi'lle delivery chute opposite the side on which the escapement is located, is preferably in the form ofan outwardly swinging door or gate that will permit a cover to escape in the event ota jam in the lower end of the chute or at the receiving point on the table.

The disc-like table serves not only as a" support for the curling units and as-a cam devicefor operating the escapen'ient, but it is also a gear wheel, it being provided on-its undersidewitha ring of gear teeth 52 concentric with the table; These-gear teeth mesh with a driving pinion 53 on a horizontal'driving shaft 54 that may be operated any suitable way as, for example, by means of a belt pulley 55 connected to the driving shaft to a suitable clutch 56.

Briefly stated, the operation of the machine is as follows: assuming that tlie'table is rotating continuously and that there is a supply of can covers in the delivery chute, when one of the curling units comes opposite the'lower end of the delivery chute, a cove-r slides down upon the same by the action of gravity and is arrested by the curved stop so'as to register with the groove in that unit and rest upon the ejecting rollers. As the unit, with its cover in place, travels on with the table in the clockwise direction, the carryingshaft 22 for the corresponding drivin-gdisc engages with the cam;3l,ocaus-' ing the disc to be slowly pressed down during-further angular movement of the table. The disc is being rotated rapidly aboutits own center. Just before the engagement of the shaft 22' with the cam. the relation of the parts is that shown in Fig. 11. When the drivin disc is pressed down into engage ment with the cover, it begins to rotatethe latter; this being permitted by reason of the fact that the edge of the cover flange is resting on the ejecting rollers. Further downward movement of the driving disc causes the cover to be forced down into the groove, the ejecting rollers yielding for this purpose. until the flange of the cover enters the grooves in the eurlingrollers as shown in Fig. 15. A continued downward movement of the driving disc is made possible only through a yielding of the material of the can cover. By reason of the fact that the bottoms of the grooves in the curling rollers are rounded, and the further fact that the marginal portion along the edge of the can cover is flared outwardly somewhat, such marginal portion yields under thepressure on and the spinning action of the cover so as to spread outwardly and upwardly and then be curled or bent back upon itself to form a tubular head of small diameter. Shortly before the curling unit with its cover comes opposite the receiving end of the discharge chute, the upper end of the disc-carrying shaft 22 leaves the cam, so that the springs associated with the disc raise the same and permit the ejectors to lift the cover out of the groove. Since the curvedpositioning stop now lies on the high side of the groove, there is nothing to restrain the cover and it therefore slides down off the table and into the discharge chute. The particular curling unit from which the cover has been discharged is now ready to receive another cover as soon as it is brought into registration with the lower end of the delivery chute;

whereupon the cycle just described will be repeated. All of the receiving units operate through the same cycle in regular succession, one of the units being in a position to receive a cover while another unit is discharging its cover and, the two remaining units are curling the edges of the shirts or flanges on covers carried thereby.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a simple and novel machine metal members such as, for example, the cylindrical flanges on sheet metal can covers. Furthermore, the heads will be perfectly round and there is during the curling operation no tendency to compress or distort the covers. Consequently the finished covers will be neat in appearance and uniform in character.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred for rapidly and etliciently curling the edges ot annular sheet desire to be form of my invention, I do not -Cl8l1tlllS thus limited to the exactstructural illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention con stituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1; In a machine of the character de-- scribed, a table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular member whose edge is to be curled, curling rollers in the groove, ejecting rollersin said groove, means for yieldinglysupporting said ejecting rollers so as normally to holdthem with their highest points in the plane of the top of the table and permit them to be pressed down, and means for simultaneously rotating said member and pressing it down into the curling rollers against the resistance of the ejecting rollers.

2. In a machine of the character described, an inclined table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular member whose edge is to be curled, a positioning stop for said member on the table along the groove having an angular length no greater than 180, curling means in the groove, yielding ejecting means in the groove, means for pressing said member into said curling means while rotating the same, and means for rotating the table between a position in which the stop holds the said member against sliding down off the table and a position in which the stop lies above the said member and leaves it free to slide from the table.

3. In a machine of the character described, an inclined table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular member whose edge is to be curled, curling means in said groove, a positioning stop for said member arranged along said groove, said stop having an angular length not greater than 180, means for rotating the table between a receiving position in which the stop lies below the groove and a discharge position in which it lies above the groove, means for feeding one of said members to the table when it occupies its receiving position, means for ejecting said member from the groove when the table is in itsdischarge position, and means for rotating said member in the groove and pressing it into the curling means.

4. In a machine of the character dc bring each groove nto a receiving position with its stop on the low side and into a-discharging position ith its stop on the high side, curling means in each groove, means for feeding one of said members, across the table to each groove When the latter is in its receiving position, means for pressing said member into the corresponding curling means and simultaneously rotating it in the groove, and means for ejecting the member from its groove when the latter is in its discharge position.

5. In a machine of the character described, an inclined rotatable table, said table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular member whose edge is to be curled, a work-positioning stop along not more than one-half the angular length of the groove, edge-curling means in the groove, a delivery chuteat the top of the table, means for feeding one of the aforesaid members from the chute to the table Whenever said stop is on the low side of the groove, means for rapidly rotating said member in the groove and at the same time pressing it into the curling means, and means for ejecting said member from 'the groove whenever the table reaches a position in which the stop is along the high side of the groove.

6. In a machine of the character described, an inclined rotatable table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular Inember whose edge is to be curled, curling means in the groove, a Work-positioning stop along not more than one-half the angular length of the groove, a driving element above the table rotatable rapidly about an axis passing through the center of the circle in which the groove lies, means for feeding one of the aforesaid members beneath said driving element and against said stop whenever the stop lies on the low side of the groove, and a sta tionary cam above the path of travel of said driving element for engaging with the lat ter and gradually pressing it down to. force the work into the curling means as the table revolves.

7 In a machine of the character described, an inclined rotatable table having in the top a circular groove to receive an annular member Whose edge is to be curled, curling means in the groove, a work-positioning stop along not more than one-half the angular length of the groove, a drivin element above the table rotatable rapidly about an axis passing through the center of the circle in Which the groove lies, means for feeding one of the aforesaid members beneath said driving element and against stop lies on the low side of the groove, a stationary cam above the path of travel of said driving element for engaging with the latter and gradually pressing it doWn to force the Work into the curling means as the table revolves, said cam being shaped to leave the and a stationary cam said stop whenever the driving element free when the said stop lies on the high side of the groove, and means for ejecting the Work from the groove when the stop lies in the last named position.

8. In a machine of the character described, an inclined table rotatable about an axis at right angles thereto, means for continuously rotating the table, said table having in the top a plurality of circular grooves adapted to receive annular members whose edges are to be curled, edge curling means in each groove, Work-positioning stops along the sides of the grooves toward said axis, means for feeding one of said members upon the table and into a groove whenever the stop associated with one of the grooves is on the low side of the latter, means for discharging the said members from the grooves whenever the stops are on the high sides of the grooves, and means for rapidly revolving each member and pressing it into the edge curling means while the table is carrying it from the receiving position to the discharge position. 7

9. In a machine of the character described, an inclined table rotatable about an axis at right angles thereto, means rotating the table, said table having in the top a plurality of circular grooves adapted to receive annular members Whose edges are to be curled, edge curling means in each groove, Work-positioning stops along the sides of the grooves toward said axis, means for feeding one of said members upon the table and into a groove whenever the stop associated with one of the grooves is on the low side of the latter, meansfor discharging the said members from the grooves Whenever the stops are on the high sides of the grooves, a constantly revolving Work driving device mounted on the table above each groove so as to be movable from and toward the table,

constructed and arranged to press each driving device against one of said members in the corresponding groove so as to rotate saidmember and gradually force it into the edge curling means While the table is carrying such member from the receiving position to the discharge position. 10. In a machine of the character described, a table having therein a circular groove to receive an annular member Whose edge is to be curled, edge curling means in the groove, and spring-supported ejectors mounted in the groove, said ejectors normally having their upper ends fiush with the top of the table but being 'yieldable to pressure to permit one of said members to be pressed into the groove into operative relation to the edge curling means.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

OTTO HEDSTROM.

for continuously. 

